1. A chemical’s solubility and persistence are two characteristics that affect h
ID: 111252 • Letter: 1
Question
1. A chemical’s solubility and persistence are two characteristics that affect how much harm it can cause to humans and the environment. Explain each of these terms and how they affect the toxicity of a chemical. What is biological magnification and what type of chemical (describe it in terms of solubility and persistence) can be biomagnified?
2. Carbon dioxide is a colorless, odorless gas with no negative physiological effects on humans. Explain why it is considered an air pollutant.
3. What are two major effects of climate change that have been predicted? What kind of harm would they cause?
4. What are two major ways to reduce the amount of waste we bury in landfills or incinerate?
Explanation / Answer
Classic example: DDT
DDT stands for dichloro, diphenyl trichloroethane. It is a chlorinated hydrocarbon, a class of chemicals which often fit the characteristics necessary for biomagnification. DDT has a half-life of 15 years.
2. It has been found that rising CO2 levels generally causes an enhanced greenhouse effect which in turn leads to warmer temperatures and which we know has many consequences.
Some effects are beneficial such as improved agriculture at high latitudes as well as increased vegetation growth in some of the circumstances. However it is seen that the negatives far outweigh the positives. Coast bound communities are found to be threatened by rising sea levels. It has also been observed that melting glaciers threaten the water supplies of hundreds of millions. Species are becoming extinct at the fastest rate in history. These are some of the reasons Carbon dioxide is considered as a pollutant.
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